Top Moroccan Diplomats to Visit Israel to Discuss Direct Flights, Opening Offices, Source Says

RABAT (Sputnik) – A delegation of the Moroccan foreign ministry will pay an official visit to Israel later on Monday to discuss the opening of representative offices and the establishment of direct air service as part of the agreement to normalize ties between the two countries, a Moroccan diplomatic source told Sputnik.

"The delegation will include a number of advisers, who are in charge of the opening of representative offices and launching direct flights between the two countries", the source said.

The visit of the Moroccan delegation to Israel is the first one since the signing of the peace agreement.

On 22 December, the Moroccan king received an official US-Israeli delegation led by White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and Israeli National Security Council head Meir Ben-Shabbat. The visit resulted in the establishment of full diplomatic relations and direct flights between the countries.

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita speaks during a visit by Israeli envoys to Rabat, Morocco, December 22, 2020. Picture taken December 22, 2020.

© REUTERS / U.S. Embassy in Morocco

Netanyahu's spokesman Ofir Gendelman stated the following day that Morocco would open its official diplomatic mission in Israel within two weeks.

At the same time, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invited Moroccan King Mohammed VI to visit his country. The invitation was made during telephone conversations between the two leaders, Israel's state TV broadcaster reported.

Morocco has become the fourth country since August to normalise ties with the Jewish state after the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan signed US-brokered pacts with Israel. US President Donald Trump has said that a number of other Arab countries are also ready to restore relations with Israel.